2013 Arena Football League season explained

The 2013 Arena Football League season was the 26th season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 23, 2013, with a five-game slate, the first of which to kick off being between the Utah Blaze and the Pittsburgh Power, and ended on July 27, 2013, with the Utah Blaze and Cleveland Gladiators as the last game to kick off.^{[1] [2]} The Arizona Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Soul by a 48–39 score in ArenaBowl XXVI to conclude the league's playoffs.^[3]

League business

Teams

The league dropped to 14 teams during the offseason. The Kansas City Command ceased operations on August 23, 2012,^[4] as well as the Georgia Force on October 14, 2012.^[5] The Milwaukee Mustangs suspended operations for 2013, eyeing a return to play in the 2014 season.^[6]

Television

It was announced on November 13, 2012, that the league had reached an agreement with CBS Sports Network to air 19 regular-season games, as well as two playoff games. The network was scheduled to air the league's "game of the week" each Saturday. The main CBS network was to televise ArenaBowl XXVI on August 17, 2013.^[3]

Regular season standings

American Conference
East Division
Team
(2) Philadelphia Soul	12	6		1052	839	2–2	6–3	5–4	7–2
Cleveland Gladiators	4	14		847	1047	2–2	3–7	3–6	1–8
Pittsburgh Power	4	14		726	1014	2–2	4–8	1–8	3–6
South Division
Team
(1) Jacksonville Sharks	12	6		941	883	6–0	11–0	6–3	6–3
(3) Orlando Predators	7	11		965	1032	2–4	5–7	4–5	3–6
(4) Tampa Bay Storm	7	11		959	980	2–4	4–6	2–7	5–4
New Orleans VooDoo	5	13		833	1069	2–4	4–6	3–6	2–7
National Conference
Central Division
Team
(2) Chicago Rush	10	8		973	947	2–2	5–5	3–5	7–3
San Antonio Talons	10	8		782	884	2–2	3–8	4–5	6–3
Iowa Barnstormers	6	12		827	913	2–2	3–7	2–7	4–5
West Division
Team
(1) Arizona Rattlers	15	3		1203	866	4–2	9–3	8–1	7–2
(3) Spokane Shock	14	4		1198	896	4–2	8–2	7–2	7–2
(4) San Jose SaberCats	13	5		1033	877	3–3	6–4	8–2	5–3
Utah Blaze	7	11		896	988	1–5	3–8	4–5	3–6

Eight teams qualify for the playoffs: four teams from each conference, of which two are division champions and the other two have the best records of the teams remaining.^[7]

Key: • •

Tie-breakers

• Cleveland finished in second place in the East Division based on their greater point differential in head-to-head competition with Pittsburgh.
• Jacksonville clinched the American Conference's No. 1 seed based on their win over Philadelphia.
• Orlando clinched the American Conference's No. 3 seed based on a greater conference record than Tampa Bay.
• Chicago clinched the Central Division based on their greater point differential in games against common opponents with San Antonio.

Playoffs

• Note: Due to "arena conflicts," the Chicago Rush did not host the playoff game.^[8]

Conference semifinals

Conference	Date	Kickoff	Away	Home	Final score	Game site	Recap
National	August 1	10:00 p.m. EDT	Chicago Rush	Spokane Shock	Spokane, 67–49	Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena	[9]
American	August 3	7:00 p.m. EDT	Tampa Bay Storm	Jacksonville Sharks	Jacksonville, 69–62	Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena	[10]
American	August 3	7:05 p.m. EDT	Orlando Predators	Philadelphia Soul	Philadelphia, 59–55	Wells Fargo Center	[11]
National	August 4	8:00 p.m. EDT	San Jose SaberCats	Arizona Rattlers	Arizona, 59–49	US Airways Center	[12]

Conference championships

Conference	Date	Kickoff	Away	Home	Final score	Game site	Recap
American	August 10	7:00 p.m. EDT	Philadelphia Soul	Jacksonville Sharks	Philadelphia, 75–59	Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena	[13]
National	August 10	9:00 p.m. EDT	Spokane Shock	Arizona Rattlers	Arizona, 65–57	US Airways Center	[14]

ArenaBowl XXVI

See main article: ArenaBowl XXVI.

All-Arena team

Offense Position First team Second team Quarterback Erik Meyer, Spokane Nick Davila, Arizona Fullback Derrick Ross, Philadelphia Odie Armstrong, Arizona Wide receiver Adron Tennell, Spokane Joe Hills, Tampa Bay Anthony Jones, Philadelphia Rod Windsor, Arizona Reggie Gray, Chicago Jeron Harvey, Jacksonville Center Brennen Carvalho, Philadelphia Billy Eisenhardt, Arizona Offensive lineman Christian Johnson, Philadelphia Rich Ranglin, Arizona Michael Huey, Arizona George Bussey, San Jose

Defense Position First team Second team Defensive end Joe Sykes, San Antonio Bryan Robinson, Philadelphia Mike Lewis, Iowa Jerry Turner, Jacksonville Nose guard Tim McGill, San Antonio Jason Stewart, San Jose Middle linebacker Francis Maka, San Jose Aaron Robbins, Jacksonville Jack linebacker Jamar Ransom, San Antonio Huey Whittaker, San Jose Defensive back Clevan Thomas, San Jose Virgil Gray, Arizona Terrance Smith, Jacksonville Rayshaun Kizer, Philadelphia Arkeith Brown, Arizona Fred Shaw, San Antonio

Special teams Position First team Second team Kicker Garrett Lindholm, Arizona Carlos Martinez, Philadelphia Kick returner Terrance Sanders, Spokane Dominic Jones, Orlando

Notes and References

1. Web site: AFL Announces 2013 Schedule . https://archive.today/20130216013734/http://www.fansonly.com/schools/afl/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/111312aab.html . dead . February 16, 2013 . November 13, 2012 . Arena Football League . January 26, 2013 .
2. Web site: 2013 AFL Schedule . November 13, 2012 . Arena Football League . November 13, 2012.
3. Web site: AFL, CBS Sports Network Sign Two-Year TV Agreement . https://archive.today/20130216012414/http://www.fansonly.com/schools/afl/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/111312aaf.html . dead . February 16, 2013 . November 13, 2012 . Arena Football League . November 13, 2012 .
4. Web site: Kansas City Command bows out; new team forms in new league – Kansas City Business Journal . Bizjournals.com . August 23, 2012 . November 13, 2012.
5. Web site: Force Fold . October 14, 2012 . OurSports Central . www.oursportscentral.com . November 13, 2012.
6. Web site: Milwaukee's AFL franchise announces that it will go dormant for the 2013 season . Milwaukee Mustangs . November 13, 2012 . https://archive.today/20121217160718/https://www.mkemustangs.com/readnews/1/190/the_milwaukee_mustangs_in_2013 . 2012-12-17 . dead .
7. Web site: Playoff Qualification, Selection of Teams . Arenafootball.com . July 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130807051837/http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/playoffs.html . 2013-08-07 . dead .
8. Web site: Week 19 AFL Playoff Scenarios (Updated 7/26, 4:15 PM) . July 21, 2013 . Arenafan.com . July 28, 2013.
9. Web site: Shock hold off the Rush in 69-47 win . August 2, 2013 . Spokane Shock . Arenafan.com . August 5, 2013.
10. Web site: Sharks Cap Incredible Comeback with 69-62 Win Over Storm . August 4, 2013 . Jacksonville Sharks . Arenafan.com . August 5, 2013.
11. Web site: Soul defeat Predators to advance, 59-55 . August 4, 2013 . Philadelphia Soul . Arenafan.com . August 5, 2013.
12. Web site: SaberCats Fall 59-49 to Rattlers in Close One in the Desert . August 4, 2013 . San Jose SaberCats . Arenafan.com . August 5, 2013.
13. Web site: Sharks Fall to Soul in Conference Championship, 75-59 . August 10, 2013 . Jacksonville Sharks . Arenafan.com . August 11, 2013.
14. Web site: Shock fall to the defending champs 65-57 . August 11, 2013 . Spokane Shock . Arenafan.com . August 11, 2013.
15. Web site: Rattlers Repeat as ArenaBowl Champs . Jeff Sims . August 17, 2013 . Arenafan.com . August 18, 2013.